Not Applicable
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of golf and tools employed to operate on golf equipment, and more particularly to tools employed on golf clubs to pull or remove or extract the golf club shaft from the clubhead.
2. Description of the Related Art
Golf is a popular form of summer recreation. Golfers constantly seek ways to improve their game. This includes updating their equipment from time to time. In one particular, as golf clubheads advance in design, or golf shafts advance in design, golfers will desire to have the latest technologies incorporated into their clubs. Therefore, golfers will have their clubs taken apart from time to time for this purpose.
Various shaft pullers have been devised to assist with this task. An example is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,464 to Marshall. A hosel push member is placed against the hosel area of the club head. An externally threaded guide tube receives the golf club shaft and is positioned against the hosel push member. A drive member push member is threaded onto the guide tube, and a drive member coil spring is fitted over the guide tube and extends between the drive member push member and the hosel push member. A stop member butts against the guide tube and grasps the shaft to secure the golf club in the apparatus. Rotation of the drive member push member causes the drive member coil spring to act against the hosel push member to effect removal of the club head. The problem with this apparatus is that the coil spring maximum spring rate becomes employed only in instances where the golf club being worked on has a shaft penetration into the club head equal to the coil spring maximum deflection. Another problem is that because the shaft penetration into the golf club head can vary from xe2x85x9cxe2x80x3 to 1xc2xdxe2x80x3 depending on club type and brand, the coil spring deflection is not controllable. An additional problem with this apparatus is the great number of components which must be assembled, then disassembled, involving a large number of operational steps, each and every time a golf club is worked on. Furthermore, manual rotation of the drive member push member can cause great discomfort to the user. These and additional deficiencies of the apparatus give rise to a need for an improved golf club head removal tool.
What is needed is a spring loaded device that can utilize its maximum spring rate (lbs. of pressure) each and every time it is used.
What is needed is a spring loaded device that can also control its spring deflection (length the spring will deflect) regardless of the depth of the shaft penetrating the hosel.
There is also a need for a spring loaded device that has more pushing power than earlier models of shaft pullers.
There is a need for a spring loaded device with a minimum pushing power of around 75 lbs. at the end of the spring""s deflection.
A need also exists for a spring loaded device that does not require multiple steps to assemble each and every time it is used.
There is a need for a spring loaded device that does not require multiple steps to disassemble each and every time it is used.
There is also a need for a spring loaded device which occupies less space than shaft pullers heretofore known.
There is a need for a shaft puller that requires less strength and is less painful to operate than prior models.
A need exists for a spring loaded device that is completely assembled and ready to operate.
A need exists for a spring loaded device which reduces loss of parts.
There is additional need for a spring loaded device that is easier and less expensive to manufacture.
There is a need for a spring loaded device that is safer to operate.
There is a need for a spring loaded device more conveniently usable in that there is no need to measure the spring deflection with a tape measure.
There is a need for a spring loaded device usable by golf club builders having a wide range of skills.
A need exists for a spring loaded device that can be readily attached to the golf builders vice.
There is a need for a spring loaded device that the operator cannot compress the spring beyond its capability therefore damaging the spring.
Therefore, those familiar with these and other problems recognize the need for a golf club head removal tool to enable a user to more readily effect repairs or alterations to golf clubs.
The present invention discloses a golf club head removal tool.
A tool is provided for operating on golf clubs to separate the clubhead from the shaft. A cylindrical housing is provided open at both ends. A coil spring is deployed within the housing. A piston sleeve also is deployed within the housing and against the spring. A guide slot formed in the housing receives a guide block fixed to the piston sleeve. The housing includes a tensioning bolt which engages the guide block. The golf club shaft is received through the housing, the piston sleeve and coil spring and secured as by a vise. When the golf club is heated in the area of the hosel, the coil spring is released, causing the piston sleeve to push against the clubhead, separating the same from the shaft.
An alternative embodiment of the present invention includes providing the housing with a tube member which can be secured in a vise or the like.
An object of the present invention is the provision of a tool which meets the aforementioned needs.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.